


It's Complicated

by CasualObsessions



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:32:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5514092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasualObsessions/pseuds/CasualObsessions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco and Jean are College dorm mates. When Marco downloads a dating app, Jean realizes he might not be as straight as he thought he was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Complicated

**Author's Note:**

  * For [makkachino](https://archiveofourown.org/users/makkachino/gifts).



> Hey! I had so much fun with this prompt. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Jean felt himself starting to wake up. He rebelled, struggling against the pull of the sunlight on his face. A loud, disgruntled noise escaped his lips, as he violently rolled in the opposite direction, jerking his blanket over his head.

“Jean, are you okay?” The honey-coated voice floated up from the bunk below his. Despite how much Jean wanted to sleep in for another two hours, or possibly three, the sound of Marco’s voice coaxed him into the light. He leaned over the edge of the top bunk, letting his entire upper body hang loosely.

“Yeah, I’m great. You?”

Marco was already up, papers spread helter-skelter all over his bed covers. He frowned, a pencil hanging out of his mouth. The expression gave Jean goosebumps.

“Yeah, fine… just really gotta catch up on my stupid calc class. I can’t afford not to pass…”

Jean pursed his lips. The two had been sharing a dorm for the past quarter of college. Winter break had just ended, and the professors were, quite literally, dumping homework on them.

“You know, I could probably help out, if you want.”

Marco gave his signature, sweet smile. “That would be great Jean, but you don’t need to waste your time on me.”

“It’s not a waste!” Jean protested vehemently.

“No, no, it’s fine. Besides. Don’t you have that psych exam to study for?”

Jean groaned. “Don’t remind me.” He struggled back up into his bed. Marco’s delicate laugh drifted up to him from the lower bunk.

There was quiet for a time, then a burst of rustling as Marco rifled through his papers. “Jean, do you have the time? I seem to have misplaced my phone.”

“Yeah, sure.” Jean pulled his phone out from under his pillow. “Half past noon. Jesus, did I really sleep that long?”

Marco laughed, “You were out late last night.”

“Yeah, sorry. I hope I didn’t wake you up when I got back.”

“You didn’t!” In fact, Jean had. Marco wondered if he just hadn’t been able to see, or if he had been drunk, with the number of things he’d tripped over or knocked into. Perhaps it had been a mix of both. “Hey Jean!”

“Yeah?”

“I need a study break. There’s this coffee shop nearby I’ve been wanting to try… want to come with?”

“Do I have time to get dressed?”

“Go ahead!”

“Great!” Jean slid out of bed, dropping a short way to the floor. Never once had he used the ladder and he was determined to keep it that way. Normally, he wouldn’t make much effort. Normally, he would just ruffle his hair, and put on a clean shirt. But this wasMarco. And no effort was too much. He put on clean clothes, and the scarf Marco liked. Normally Jean found it embarrassing to wear things his mother had knitted for him in public, but Marco liked it, so he made an exception. Jean scowled at the mirror, fussing with his hair. No matter what he did to it, it would lay the way he wanted it to.

Marco’s voice came from right behind the door. “Jean? Are you okay in there?”

Jean startled, then opened the door. “Yeah, fine, just zoned out, sorry.”

“It’s no problem!” Marco was pulling on his jacket. He patted the pockets, and his face lit up. “There it is!” He pulled his phone out of his pocket for a moment before replacing it, flashing Jean a quick smile. “You need anything else?”

“Nope!”

The two walked a few blocks through a dusting of crisp snow to the coffee shop.

Jean couldn’t make up his mind, and decided that straight black coffee was the way to go. As he was pulling out his wallet to pay, he glanced at Marco. “Hey, what’ll you have?”

“Oh no, Jean, it’s fine, I can pay for myself.”

Jean shook his head. “Tough. I’m paying for you. Now order.”

Marco smiled, then ordered a hot cocoa.

Jean wandered over to sit at a table near the window while waiting for his drinks. The barista passed Marco the coffee and his cocoa, which had a couple marshmallows floating in it. “You and your boyfriend are adorable!” She said pushing brown hair out of her eyes.

Marco laughed. “Oh, thanks, but he’s not my boyfriend.”

The girl grinned. “Well you two would make a great couple!” She turned and walked into the back.

Marco carried both warm drinks to the table Jean had picked out.

“What was that all about?” Jean inquired.

Marco smiled. “Oh, the barista thought we were a couple.”

Jean tried to hide his eagerness. “What did you tell her?”

Marco’s expression was quizzical. “I told her we weren’t. What else would I tell her?”

Jean nodded, trying to seem as if the reply didn’t hurt him as much as it did. “Oh.” He fiddled with his coffee cup, spinning it around with the tips of his fingers.

After the two had been silent for a while, Marco pulled out his phone, checking the notifications. Something caught his eye, and he laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Jean asked curiously.

“Oh, I found this dating app the other night, it looks like I’ve got a date set up for tonight.”

Jean was crushed. “I see.” He wasn’t really sure why he felt so bitter about it. Marco’s love life wasn’t any of his business. Was it? “Don’t you have to study for calc?”

Marco waved his hand dismissively. “It can wait.”

“Oh.” Jean found himself saying it for the second time in the last fifteen minutes. He caught sight of something in the window, and leaned to the side slightly, reading the reflection of Marco’s phone screen. He took a mental note of the app displayed there. He knew he would figure something out.

Jean sat in his bed, staring into his lap. Marco was on his date by now. Every time Jean thought about it, a wave of jealousy washed over him, making him feel sick to his stomach. He picked up his phone. Pressing the power button, he was surprised to find a text from Marco.  
"Hey, I'm really sorry, do you think you can come pick me up?"   
Jean replied with a casual, "Sure." Seeming completely casual. However, he leapt out of bed and threw on his coat, grinning excitedly as he strode down the hall.

He found Marco on the corner of 3rd and Pine. As Marco climbed into the car, Jean couldn't help but look him over. The other boy looked ruffled, and slightly anxious.  
"Did something go wrong?" Jean asked causally.  
Marco groaned. "God, yes."  
Jean was silent, waiting for Marco to continue.  
Marco rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I think he tried to drug me."  
Jean frowned. "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah, just take me home. Please."

And yet, the next day Jean woke up to find Marco back on the same Dating App from before.

It wasn't until the middle of his psych exam that he came up with a solution to all his problems. That was it! All he had to do, was create a profile on the same Dating App. If he met Marco that way he was sure it would be easier.

As he got back to the dorm, and downloaded the app, he found himself losing his nerve. Before long, he found himself browsing through the web for pictures of guys he thought Marco would be interested in. He settled on a picture of a young man with blue hair and stunning hazel eyes. He set up the profile, and ended up staying up all night perfecting his "about me" page.

Jean was dead tired that Saturday, and consumed a whole pot of coffee before he could even keep his eyes open. All the next two days his phone did not stop buzzing. Both flirty messages and hateful ones rolled in.  
Near the end of Sunday, it drew Marco's attention.   
"Who's texting you?"  
Jean thought fast. "Uh, it's this cute girl from Psych, Mikasa? Have you meet her?"  
"No, I don't think so."

For all of Monday, Marco seemed to be in an off mood.

Tuesday morning, Jean awoke to a message on his app from Marco.  
"Hey. I like your profile, want to talk?"  
Jean couldn't help himself. He did a little happy dance in his bed.  
"I like your profile too! Especially that bit about how cute your butt is."  
A few minutes passed, then a reply.  
"What? o///o my profile doesn't say anything like that!"  
Jean felt warm and fuzzy at the thought of Marco taking the time in class to messagehim.  
"Sorry, too forward? :)"  
"XD no not at all. You're cute, I'll put up with it."

The flirty banter continued for most of the week, until Marco finally hit send on a question that stopped Jean's heart in his chest.  
"So... Saturday? You wanna get lunch?"  
Jean paced in circles, not sure what to do. Finally, he replied. "Yes! I'd love to. But only if you let me get the bill. Did you have a place in mind?"

On Saturday morning, Jean struggled between being terrified about how Marco would react to seeing him instead of "Chet Kirimi" and not smiling as Marco giggled and fussed over his upcoming date.

Marco finally left to meet his date, so excited, he had to leave early.

Jean strode into the bathroom, he stared into the mirror, wincing as he realized the gravity of what he was going to do. He pulled on the gloves, and began to paint blue dye into his hair.

An hour later, he nervously stepped into the fancy french restaurant, a shock of blue hair atop his head. He scanned the area, and spotting Marco, walked towards him.

With each step he took Marco's eyes got wider and wider. Jean swore they were the size of saucers by the time he sat down.

"Jean?!"  
"I was kinda hoping you wouldn't recognize me."  
"You dyed your hair BLUE?!"  
"You don't like it?"  
"No, I'm just confused. YOU'RE Chet?"  
"Yeah?"  
"You lied?!"  
"I'm sorry?"  
"YOU'RE SORRY?!"  
"I know, I should have-"  
"JEAN!"  
"I GOT NERVOUS OKAY?!"  
"Excuse me, sirs?" The waiter had approached them, sidling up to them in an anxious manner. "If you must argue, can you take it outside? You're disturbing our other customers."  
Jean was the first to respond. "No, we're sorry. Please forgive us."  
The waiter nodded and quickly vacated the immediate area.

Marco refused to speak to him the whole time, and it was a rather awkward meal.

When they finally got back to the dorm, Marco unleashed all the rage Jean never knew he had.

"Why didn't you just tell me?!"  
"I don't know! It just sort've happened!"  
"How can you not think stuff like this through?! You lied to me!"  
"Well I'm sorry, you never have to go on a date with me again!"  
"Jean, that's not what I meant!"  
"Then what did you mean?! Cause from where I'm standing you seem to hate my guts."  
"Hate your guts?! I've had a crush on you since freshman year!" Marco put a hand over his mouth as if that had slipped out without him meaning it to.  
"What?!"  
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE STRAIGHT!"  
"SO DID I!"  
"What the hell happened?!"  
"I don't know, I just woke up one morning and you had this beautiful voice and what the fuck is wrong with me?!"  
"Are you saying I turned you gay?!"  
"MAYBE!"  
Both of them fell silent for a time. They avoided eye contact, not sure what to do next.  
"Look, Jean, I freaking love you."  
"I-uh..." Jean blushed. His next few words were mumbled. "Love you too."  
Another awkward silence enveloped the room.  
Jean stared at his feet.   
He heard Marco move, but couldn't bring himself to look up.  
That is, until Marco forced him to.  
"Hey, Jean... Is it okay if I kiss you?"  
"...Yeah."  
Jean wasn't sure what he had expected, but it hadn't been for Marco to kiss him full on the mouth right then and there.  
Both of them lost track of time. Time didn't start again until Jean realized somewhere along the way he'd lost his shirt. And Marco's belt was halfway across the room.   
Jean backed off. "I'm sorry, that was a little rushed. Maybe we should wait until the third date?"  
Marco raised an eyebrow. "Jean, are you asking me out?"  
"Maybe. Or maybe I'm asking you to be my boyfriend."  
Marco was silent.  
"Unless you don't want to. That's totally fine."  
"Oh, Jean, I'd love that."  
"Really?"  
"Yes. Is it okay if I cry tears of joy now?"  
Jean laughed. "Yes. But only if I get to hug you."


End file.
